The Distribution of Power in the U.S. Supreme Court

Arthur Q. Frank, Lloyd S. Shapley

ResearchPublished 1981

The distribution of power among the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court is calculated using techniques of factor analysis in conjunction with a generalized Shapley-Shubik power index that takes into account the ideological or philosophical profiles of the voters. A three-dimensional profile space is constructed, based on data from the 1977-78 term. It is found that, because of his central position in this space, Justice Powell has the highest probability — about 35 percent — of being pivotal in a typical decision.

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  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Available
  • Year: 1981
  • Print Format: Paperback
  • Paperback Pages: 36
  • Paperback Price: $20.00
  • Document Number: N-1735-NSF

Citation

RAND Style Manual
Frank, Arthur Q. and Lloyd S. Shapley, The Distribution of Power in the U.S. Supreme Court, RAND Corporation, N-1735-NSF, 1981. As of September 12, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/notes/N1735.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Frank, Arthur Q. and Lloyd S. Shapley, The Distribution of Power in the U.S. Supreme Court. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1981. https://www.rand.org/pubs/notes/N1735.html. Also available in print form.
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